Dr. Krishne Urs: A Lifetime of Giving Back

Dr. Krishne Urs was born in 1936 in Mysore, India. After receiving his medical degree with distinction from the University of Mysore, he arrived in New York City in 1962 and studied to become an orthopedic surgeon. He then did fellowship training at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada as well as the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He became board certified in orthopedic surgery in both the U.S. and Canada in 1968.

Dr. Urs started his private practice at St. Vincent Hospital Staten Island in 1970 and had hospital staff appointments at St. Vincent's Medical Center, Bailey Seton Hospital, Richmond Memorial Hospital and Doctor's Hospital of Staten Island.

Dr. Bosworth and Dr. Fielding selected Dr. Urs to run the training program at St. Vincent's Hospital. He was Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at St. Vincent's Medical Center from 1986 to 2001.

Dr. Bhupathi, after finishing his orthopedic training under Dr. Urs, joined his practice in 1973. Together they started a new practice Richmond Orthopedic Associates P.C. in 1976 and were later joined by Dr. Jayaram and Dr. Brandon.

Dr. Urs and Dr. Bhupathi performed the first total knee replacement in Staten Island and introduced the fiber cast in 1986 as well as electrical stimulation for non-union of fractures.

Heavily involved in the Hindu religion, Dr. Urs served as Chairman of the Hindu Temple Society of North America in Queens from 1992–2000. Since 2007, he has been Chairman of the Staten Island Hindu Temple.

Dr. Urs has supported many charities and projects over the years including: Finch University of Health Sciences for library construction; Hindu Temple Society of North America in Queens for auditorium construction; Staten Island Hindu Temple for construction and maintenance; and Richmond University Medical Center for new Emergency Room construction.

The scholarship Dr. Urs has established in Mysore, India, has helped many to become doctors and engineers. Dr. Urs has generously given millions of dollars to charity.

For his recent gifts to Richmond University Medical Center, Dr. Urs has started to make pledge payments through charitable rollovers from his IRA. "I have been fortunate that I could make gifts to charity every year. I learned from my financial advisor that I could reduce my income and my taxes by transferring money directly from my IRA to charity," says Dr. Urs.

An individual who is age 70½ and older must take a required minimum distribution from their IRA each year. With the IRA charitable rollover, these individuals can transfer up to $100,000 per year directly to charity which goes toward satisfying their required minimum distribution.

Dr. Urs continues, "I knew I would never use all the money in my IRA. I was thrilled to learn a gift from my IRA could reduce my income taxes while helping Richmond University Medical Center build a new Emergency Room."

Contact Gina Ferreri at 718.818.2106 or gferreri@rumcsi.org to learn more about the IRA charitable rollover.